


Dawn's nightmare

by Dalegribble



Category: Buffyverse
Genre: Dawn torture amputation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-09-29
Updated: 2012-09-29
Packaged: 2017-11-15 06:08:06
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 990
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/523976
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Dalegribble/pseuds/Dalegribble
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Dawn injures Tara and has nightmares</p>
            </blockquote>





	Dawn's nightmare

Dawn's nightmare

Dawn fell asleep, it was the restless sleep of someone who had much to live down, she had been feeling guilty for a long time. She knew it was all her fault. 

Dawn looked over at her nightstand and then she poured herself a tall drink of what caused all of her problems, some demon rum. After what was at least five shots, she gulped it down and the fell into an alcohol induced slumber. The nightmare didn't bother her when she was self-medicated. 

Dawn had Spike get her booze for her, she had a couple of thefts on him and he didn't want to deal with the police. 

When she woke up, the memories of what caused her nightmare came into the kitchen, Tara and Willow were the first ones in the kitchen, Buffy was always a late riser. 

Willow seldom spoke to Dawn, usually at Tara's urging. Willow just gave Dawn a dirty look. 

Tara on the other hand walked over to Dawn, she hugged her and whispered in her ear, "I forgive you, please forgive yourself."

Dawn always looked down, she couldn't face Tara, her big blue loving eyes. Tara was the worst poker player in the world, the honesty in her eyes alway spoke the truth. 

The part that made it so impossible for Dawn to as Tara requested was the hug, it reminded Dawn of what she did to Tara. The absence of Tara's left arm was clear with the one-armed hug. It just didn't feel right and just made Dawn feel worse. 

After, breakfast, everyone left and had a regular day, at bedtime Dawn laid down and then the nightmare started, this time in color surround sound and smellavision.

Dawn was walking on the beach, it was cool enough to want to wear a light jacket. Dawn on the other hand was in clamdiggers and a t-shirt. She was also barefoot, but for some reason she wasn't cold.

Then she saw Tara taking an evening stroll on the beach, she was dressed properly for the weather. 

Then Tara turned and faced Dawn and the wind picked up and then the empty left sleeve of Tara's jacket blew across her body.

Tara grasped the sleeve and then begged "why Dawn why?" 

Dawn being unable to face Tara tried to run away. She took a couple of steps and then she tripped and fell, she looked back and it was Tara's lost arm that had a hold on her ankle. 

Dawn woke up and the started to cry and then she self-medicated. 

The next night as her days weren't much better than her nights. 

Dawn's days had the accident that injured Tara running through her mind. 

It was fairly simple, Tara and Dawn went drinking during a trip to England, since Dawn was the one best able to walk, she drove them home. Dawn being as drunk as she was, couldn't drive a wit. She pulled out in front a garbage truck. Dawn just had a few bumps and bruises. But, Tara was in a coma for three days and they had to amputate her left arm at the shoulder.

Dawn got some sleeping pill and took several of them, the nightmare started like it always did, but this time she didn't wake up, the sleeping pills were working. 

Dawn was laying on the ground with Tara's missing arm holding on to her ankle. 

Then Joyce appeared and said "Dawn, my dear daughter, there is a way to end your nightmare." 

Dawn wanted to hear how to end her personal hell. 

"How?" was her only question.

"Dawn, it is simple and you know in your heart of hearts the answer" said Joyce. 

"If, mom or I do it, it won't hurt. If Willow does it it will hurt and Tara won't do it. If you do it then you will be ready to live with it" said Buffy. 

"How?" begged Dawn. 

"Grasp your left arm and pull" said Joyce. 

Dawn felt as if she had to do it, it was her way to atone for her sins. 

Dawn pulled on her arm and it popped loose and then it pulled out like the arm of a mannequin. 

Dawn then woke up in her bed, it was morning and she tried to get up and she couldn't move her left arm, she felt of her arm and then she realized that the nightmare was real, she had pulled her arm off last night. Dawn then got up and got dressed, it was easier than she thought, it was as if she was used to having one arm. 

She went down stairs and wondered how everyone would react to her new appearance. 

Willow actually spoke to her and was polite. 

"Good morning Dawn, I hope you slept well" said Willow.

Tara walked over to Dawn and hugged her again and whispered "you didn't have to that, I told you I forgave you."

This time Dawn looked Tara in the eye and whispered back "I had to, it was my arm of my soul." 

With that Dawn fixed breakfast and Buffy came down and smiled she knew that her little sister was now going to be okay. 

Spike had dropped by he needed to avoid the sun, even though he now had a soul, the sun would cause him to catch fire. 

"Well. Sprout it looks like you had a bit of pruning, take care though" he then hugged her like a little sister. 

She hugged him back and it felt odd to him to be hugged with one arm. 

Spike cleaned up for Dawn. 

Dawn spent the first day of her new life, one without nightmares, out on the town, she just let the empty sleeve of her long sleeve blouse just dangle and she spent the day smiling. 

She knew that it was her arm or her soul and she chose to keep her soul.


End file.
